8 February 1904: The Russo-Japanese War:
IZUMO is flagship of Vice Admiral Kamimura Hikonojo’s (4) Second Fleet. Without waiting for a declaration
of war, Japan opens hostilities with a surprise attack on the main Russian fleet base at Port Arthur (Lushun), Manchuria.

22 April 1904:
Departs Motoyama for Vladivostok, but because of thick
fog reverses course without reaching Vladivostok.

26 April–7 May 1904:
Arrives at Motoyama and lays over.

28 May–9 June 1904:
Attacks Vladivostok.

14 August 1904: The Battle off Ulsan:
The Russian command orders Rear Admiral Nikolai Essen to depart Vladivostok with his cruisers and rendezvous with the main Russian Port Arthur Squadron in the Sea of Japan.. However, the fleet had not been sighted by the following morning. As the Russian squadron approached Pusan, Korea Admiral Yessen orders his squadron back to Vladivostok. During the night, Vice Admiral Kamimura Hikonjo’s fleet of armored cruisers IZUMO, AZUMA, TOKIWA and IWATE and protected cruisers NANIWA and TAKACHINO pass close to the Essen’s squadron, but on opposite courses. Neither is aware of the other.

14 August 1904:
At dawn, soon after Admiral Essen starts back to Vladivostok, the four Japanese armored cruisers are sighted. At 0520, the fleets had closed to 8,500 yards, and the Japanese ships open fire.Russian armored cruiser RURIK, subjected to heavy bombardment loses most of her officers. The Japanese take some hits, but the Russians sheer away. Strangely, Admiral Kamimura holds his course during the Russian turn, and when he turns, it is to a new course that lengthens the range. The Russian cruisers try to cover RURIK, but at 0830, Admiral Essen orders RURIK scuttled and heads back to Vladivostok. Kamimura’s cruisers chase them, but at 1115, after less than three hours pursuit, Admiral Kamimura the chase, turns back to Pusan.

27-28 May 1905: The Battle of Tsushima:
In October 1904, Russian Admiral Zinovi P. Rozhdestvenski’s Baltic fleet departed on an epic eight-month journey to the Far East. Rear Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov's Third Pacific Squadron joins Rozhdestvenski's fleet in May 1905. On 26 May, the 45-ship Russian fleet is sighted entering Japanese waters. The next day, the Combined Fleet under Admiral Togo sorties from Chinhae, Korea to engage the Russians.

In a running gun battle off Okinoshima, Togo's fleet of battleships, cruisers, including IZUMO, and smaller ships battle Rozhdestvenski. Thirty-four Russian vessels are sunk, scuttled or captured. Only two Russian destroyers and a light cruiser reach Vladivostock, Siberia. Six other smaller ships reach neutral ports and are interned. 4,830 Russian officers and men are KIA and 5,917 captured. Togo loses three torpedo boats and several capital ships are damaged.

December 1918:
After the armistice, IZUMO and destroyers HINOKI and YANAGI depart Malta for Scapa Flow to help guard the German fleet and prepare for the voyage of seven surrendered German submarines to Japan.

5 January 1919:
Arrives at Portland, England.

March 1919:
IZUMO, HINOKI, YANAGI and the seven German U-boats arrive back at Malta. They are joined by destroyers UME and KUSUNOKI. Tender KWANTO services the U-boats, then joins cruiser NISSHIN and two destroyer flotillas in escorting the submarines to Japan. All arrive at Yokosuka on 18 Jun '19.

10 April 1919:
IZUMO departs Malta with the last destroyer detachment for various ports including Naples and Genoa, Italy and Marseilles, France.

7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge (The First "China") Incident:
Hun River, Lugouqiao, China. Japanese troops are on night maneuvers at the bridge.
They fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops fire back, but do not cause injuries.
Later, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese captured
him. They demand entry to Beijing to look for him, but the Chinese refuse. The
Japanese shell the city and an undeclared war on China begins.

That same day, IZUMO is assigned as flagship of the 10th Squadron of Vice
Admiral Hasegawa Kiyoshi’s (31) Third Fleet and based at Mako, Pescadores.

11 July 1937:Arrives at Shanghai.

14 July 1937: IZUMO is moored in the Huangpu River, joins the French flagship in a searchlight display in honor of Bastille Day.

That same day, the Chinese Air Force (CAF) under acting CO, retired
Captain (later MajGen) Claire L. Chennault, launches more than 10 aircraft to
attack IJN flagship IZUMO and the Japanese fleet. The CAF mistakenly bombs
British cruiser HMS CUMBERLAND, but their bombs fall wide. Two bombs also fall
close alongside AUGUSTA, but no one is killed. The CAF accidentally drops bombs
into Shanghai city, killing more than 1700 civilians and wounding 1800 others. A
Type 90 scout floatplane from IZUMO attacks the CAF formations and shoots down a
fighter. A Type 95 floatplane from light cruiser SENDAI shoots down another
Chinese plane.

16 August 1937:Huangpu River, Shanghai. Assigned as flagship of Vice Admiral Hasegawa’s Third Fleet. That same day, Chinese torpedo boat No. 102 is sunk after a failed attempt to torpedo IZUMO.

20 August 1937: Five Chinese aircraft attack IZUMO and miss.

31 August 1937:At 1100, Chinese aircraft launch six attacks on IZUMO, but miss.

25 September 1937:
Shanghai. Three German Heinkel He-111s in the service of the Chinese 19th Bomb Squadron (Heavy)
and five Martin B-10s of the 10th and 30th Squadrons escorted by seven Boeing fighters of the 17th squadron
attack about 30 Japanese ships including IZUMO anchored in the Huangpu River. Two bombers are heavily
damaged and crash. IZUMO is not damaged in the raid.

20 October 1937:Assigned as a support ship for the Emperor’s Imperial Headquarters. Later, as flagship.

8 December 1941:Shanghai. Whangpoo (Huangpu) River. About 0400, Captain Otani Inaho (51) and a detachment of Special Naval Landing Force troops arrive and board British river gunboat moored HMS PETEREL. Otani informs her CO, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve Lt Stephen Polkinghorn, that their countries are at
war and demands the surrender of the ship. Polkinghorn refuses and orders the Japanese off at gunpoint. Illuminated by IZUMO’s searchlights, gunboats SETA and ATAMI, a destroyer and artillery pieces ashore then sink PETEREL by gunfire. Six of PETEREL’s crew of 21 men are lost, but Polkinghorn, although wounded, and the
others survive and are made POWs.

31 December 1941:Lingayen, Philippines. IZUMO hits a mine and is damaged.

24 July 1945: The Final Destruction of the Imperial Japanese Navy:Aircraft from Vice Admiral (later Admiral) John S. McCain's (former CO
of RANGER, CV-4) Task Force 38 attack Kure. In their last major action, 343rd NAG "George" fighters attack the retiring American carrier planes over the Bungo Straits and claim 19 aircraft shot down against four losses.

Etajima. IZUMO is heavily camouflaged and is not attacked. Task Force 38’s aircraft concentrate their attacks on HARUNA.

28 July 1945:From 0800 to 1700, Kure is attacked again by USS WASP's (CV-18) Air Group 86, SHANGRI-LA (CV-38) and other aircraft from Task Force 38. IZUMO is attacked by 20 aircraft. They get three
near misses with heavy bombs, but she takes no direct hits. Two of the attacking planes are shot down and crash on the nearby beach. The near misses cause under-water damage to the old ship’s seams and plates. IZUMO floods
and takes on a 15-degree list to port. About an hour after the attack, IZUMO capsizes and sinks off Eta Jima, 34-14N, 132-30E.

15 August 1945:Rerated a Fourth Class Reserve warship.

20 November 1945:Removed from the Navy List.

1947:Kure Dockyard. Dismantled and scrapped by Harima.

Authors' Note:
Thanks go to Matt Jones and Fontessa-san of Japan and the late John Whitman for additional CO info.